Life is tough, You have to be tougher
by dancingtothebeatles
Summary: Jane Potter: James Potter's fraternal twin and perfect height for an armrest. The only arm she wants on HER head is Sirius Black's, who can't seem to get out of the dreaded 'friend stage'. It doesn't help they're surrounded by Death Eaters ready to kill.
1. Chapter 1

**Ignore the following if you hate Author's Notes:**

**Ok… so! My first story! **** Yay :P This was all written on an iPod using the notepad app thingy so the spacing is all messed up! Poo… Oh, well. It's the only way I can write because I'm super busy and I can't carry around my dinosaur of a computer with me. Hate it! Anyway, just wanted to say I'm super excited for this one! It's going to be a mix of adventure and romance so it's not too lovey-dovey and stuff (but it won't start off that way. It will develop). I **_**plan**_** to have this be a pretty darn long story but ahh… **_**C'est la vie**_**, it might not work out that way. So! Also… I'm going to try and update at least every other day. Quite the challenge. I'm up to it. And, the whole story isn't "Pros and Cons", kay? It's just the beginning, people! Love ya! Now, on with the story!**

The Pros and Cons of being star quidditch player James Potter's twin:

Pro-I have my father's looks; sparkling, ice-blue eyes, pale skin,  
and blonde hair that falls in shiny ringlets to the small of my back.  
Which means when we meet new people they don't immediately go, "Hey are  
you guys twins? So, Jane, why aren't you as popular as Mr. Perfect,  
James, here?"

Con- I have my mother's stature, which means my head is the perfect  
height for my brother (and his friends) to use as their personal arm  
rest.

Pro- Our personalities, though different in many ways, are the same  
in our senses of humor. Which means that we have a lot of fun. No  
guarantees that by-standers will.

Con- Our idea of fun means practical jokes. Lots and lots of  
practical jokes. Which means flat out prank wars. 24/7.

Pro- I live for prank wars.

Con- You can't always be on your guard. So when you've checked and  
double-checked every possible thing in the room that could explode,  
light you on fire or turn your hair a violent shade of pink... THAT'S  
when he strikes. And he gets you BAD.

Pro- It drives James nuts when you take a perfectly planned prank and  
make it look like you're enjoying it. Flat out bonkers. So, in the  
end, I always win.

Con- It doesn't matter to him if I win. He never gives up. THAT  
drives ME bonkers.

Pro- Being a natural prankster and the twin of James which  
makes us really great friends, I am consequently admitted  
into the highly exclusive group called the Marauders.

Con- Being a Marauder means detention. A lot of detention.

Pro- It is impossible not to have fun when you're with James, Sirius,  
Remus and Peter. So detentions aren't the punishments they're intended  
to be.

Con- In 5th year, they began to separate us during detentions. We set  
Filch on fire. Ah... Good times.

Pro- Being a marauder means being an animagi. The. Coolest. Thing.  
On. The. Planet. I'm an owl so I blend in nicely with the school owls  
and I can spy on anyone really easily.

Con- I look forward to full moons, honestly. But staying up all night  
running around with a werewolf really weighs on me. If I don't sleep,  
it shows, and I am NOT a happy camper. And Lily notices.

Pro- Did I mention I get to run around with a werewolf? A werewolf!

Con- James Potter is madly in love with Lily Evans, one of my best  
friends. On one hand, Lily can be a flat out jerk to James. On the  
other hand, you can only send a girl flowers so many times...

Pro- James Potter is absolutely, positively, no question about it my  
best friend in the whole world.

So you're probably wondering why I'm writing this. Well first, I'd  
like to pass on all my knowledge of the castle and, well, OTHER things  
to a student in the future to use to honor of all practical jokers.

I find myself asking who is worthy. Well, if you've found this, let  
me tell you, you are worthy. Second, I believe my story worth telling  
because A) You'll get a kick out of my friend and I's crazy antics,  
and B) I want you to learn that love- and people- can flat out,  
knock you off your feet, surprise you.

So this journal morphed from an instructional "Secrets of The  
Castle: A Manual" to a story. The story of my final year at Hogwarts.

Lush, bright green fields, rimmed in wild, dark green forest shot by  
outside the shimmering scarlet train, steam billowing behind it. It  
was a bright, impossibly clear day, not a cloud in sight. Strange for  
this time of year.

I turned from the window and smiled at a joke James just told. You  
know, the one about the warlock, the hag, and the veela who were riding  
on the Knight Bus.

I sat cross-legged in my muggle clothes between Sirius and James, Remus  
and Peter across from me. Sirius was smiling his dazzling smile next  
to me, his perfectly tousled black hair practically screaming "touch  
me!". He was tall, muscular, a heart throb and a flirt.

Yeah.. Ok. I'm in love with Sirius. I'm just as bad as all of those  
other obsessed girls. Ever since 3rd year when he stood up for me  
against Evan Morris, the Hufflepuff that used to pick on me. Turned  
out he had a crush on me and was vying for attention and asked me out  
a year later. But, nope, too late Evan, the seeds of love were sown. And thus, I love  
Sirius.

Remus, golden eyed, sandy haired, too-smart(and mature)-for-his-own-  
good, Remus sat across from me apparently telling James he got the  
punch line wrong. What they say is true. Bad things always happen to  
the best people. Remus is the werewolf.

Next to him sat Peter in his mousy, short, boy-ish-ness. I've never  
quite liked Peter. With his small, beady, watery eyes, round face and  
his habit if worshipping "The One on Top", I've always thought of him  
as a leech almost.

Black hair, green-eyed, tall-and-fit James sat beside me, arguing his  
case about the punch line.

My boys.

My friends.

My family.

The last six years had been a blur. A laughter-filled blur consisting  
of numerous memorable pranks, full moons and detentions. But this  
year, this year was going to be the best.

A hand passed in front of my face a few times and I heard Sirius's  
voice say, "Earth to Janey, can you hear me?"

"Huh?" I shook my head. Wow... Real witty.

James and Remus were standing at the compartment door, poised to leave.

"Will you nick me some extra stuff off the trolley, Jane?" James asked,  
tossing me a few Knuts.

"Sure, fatty," I joked, slapping his tummy lightly, "Why?"

"I just told you," he replied, exasperated. "Honestly," he murmured,  
then explained. "Remus, for whatever stupid reason-" he looked  
pointedly and annoyed at Remus who smiled slyly.

"He won't tell him why," Sirius interjected.

"I have to go with him to the prefects meeting," James told me.  
"Probably to give me late punishment for something I did last year,"  
he mumbled as an afterthought.

"Well! Somebody's grumpy!" I laughed.

"I'm not! Well, I am... I just don't want to start off the year with  
detention!" he pouted.

I cocked an eyebrow. "Aww... Poor Jamesy..." I said sarcastically.

He pouted more.

"Well, did you do anything late last year that's pretty bad?" Peter  
reasoned.

"Um... I cursed Snivellous on the train back..." said James.

Snivellous isn't a person's real name (I'd pity anyone who did).  
Snivellous is our personal nicknamed for Severus Snape, a greasy-  
haired, vile, slimy little git who happens to be Lily Evan's best  
friend and the Marauder's sworn enemy.

"Yeah, you're screwed," Sirius said.

James left the compartment in a huff and Remus looking very excited.

"And then there were three..."

I snorted.

The trolley came minutes later. I bought James and I some lunch and a  
couple of extra treats.

"Hey, Beaky?" Beaky's my nickname "Wanna play a game of exploding  
snap?" Sirius asked after we finished eating.

I said I'd like to and we were halfway through when we heard a yell, a  
girl shriek "JAMES POTTER!" and two sets of footsteps; one running  
and one stomping.

James threw open the compartment door, his face simply glowing.

"Guess. What." he said from the doorway, bursting with excitement.

"JAMES POTTER!" I heard again.

Our exploding snap cards suddenly burst into flames. We ignored them  
and they put themselves out, angry that no one was paying attention to  
them.

"Omigosh. James. What did you do?" I stood and leaned out of the  
compartment door. Stomping up the hallway was Lily Evans, her green  
eyes flaming and face as red as her hair. Curious heads were popping  
out of their compartments.

"Nothing," he beamed. "Absolutely nothing."

"JAMES POTTER! YOU. ARE. DEAD." she shrieked as she threw open the  
compartment door.

"Oh, how I love it when you say my name, Lily flower," he cooed  
dreamily.

Normally, she would've screamed more about this nickname James has for  
her, but she was obviously too angry about what ever James apparently  
did (or didn't?) do.

I sat back down on the bench and Sirius's laughing (stunningly  
beautiful, I might add) silver eyes met mine. He laughed more and I  
rolled my eyes.

Lily entered our compartment and closed the door behind her. Oh,  
man... I was officially scared.

"Lily... Please calm down..." I said, in what I tried to make sound  
like a soothing voice. "What did James do?"

Angry silence.

When she spoke, it was in a deadly whisper.

"James... was made Head Boy and-"

"WHAT?" three voices (Sirius, Peter and I) shouted simultaneously.

"Dumbledore is off his rocker!" Sirius offered.

"Yeah! Definitely!" Peter agreed.

"Aww... I like Dumbledore. He gave me lemon drops when I was in  
detention." I countered.

"That made you breath fire!" Sirius said.

"Which is, like, the coolest thing ever!" said I.

"And I was made Head Girl," Lily finally finished.

"Not for the people around you," Sirius continued. "I had to carry  
around a mini fire extinguish- wait, WHAT?"

James was beaming, Sirius shocked, Lily livid.

I sank to the floor, my face dramatically in my hands.

"The school will be going down in flames by the end of the year..." I  
murmured into my palms.

Sirius sat down next to me on the ground and put his arm around me.  
Even though I knew he was totally joking, I still felt like I just  
swallowed a bunch of helium.

"Aww... It's ok... I'll protect you!" Sirius cooed, simply playing.

Oh, why did he tempt me so?

His good looks, his silver, dazzling eyes, strong muscles pulling me  
up from the floor and info a fake hug I so desperately wanted to be  
real, his ambery scent I seemed to crave...

Oh... This year will be fun.

**And now, the boring part:**

**Please, oh, please, review. You can be mean. I don't care. Just review. Ok, maybe I do care but still, **_**review**_**! Give plot suggestions, corrections, compliments (maybe? Pleeeeease), anything! And I will loooooove you! :P**

**Keep dancing!**

**XO**

**Zoe**

**(\(\  
(-.-) It's a bunny! Tee, hee ****  
o_(")(")**


	2. Chapter 2

"Jane! Don't you dare tell me to calm down! Do you know where the Head  
Boy and Girl have to sleep? I'm not-"

"Lily, if I have to, to save the school from spontaneous combustion-"  
I began.

"We won't blow up the school-" James interjected.

"Not now, James!" I snapped.

Come one, use your head, boy!

Lily was furious. Fur-i-ous. She seems to think James is going to  
molest her in her sleep, steal one of her hairs, put it into a vial of  
polyjuice potion ("You would taste like warm cookies, my dear."  
"James, you are really not helping!") and declare, as Lily, her  
undying love for him. Lily had stormed out twice and every one of our  
nerves were high strung.

And if we didn't get this resolved soon, there will be problems.

Big problems.

Like blow-up-the-school problems.

"There isn't anything you can do!" Lily declared.

"Yes, there is!"

"If you mean quitting, I'm not! I've wanted to be Head Girl too long!"

"And neither will I!" James declared. I let this one pass.

"Lily, if need be, we can switch beds, you sleep in mine, I sleep in  
yours." I argued.

Light dawned on her face like a sunrise.

Victory!

"Alright, fine. But we still need to set up some rules, guidelines, if  
we have to work together."

Someone slid open the door and stepped in.

"I heard the news, Lily," Severus Snape, sorry, Snivellous, drawled,  
sneering, "I feel soooo bad for you."

"Yeah, because being head of the school is punishment." I countered  
sarcastically, blue eyes narrowed and stepping forward. Man, I hate this  
kid.

"Anything with him is punishment," he growled, stalking forward like a  
scrawny black cat that just finished sticking his head in a tub of  
bacon fat. Eww...

"I'll show you punishment!" James yelled.

Both wands were out before you could say "detention"!

Each set of eyes; one like liquid black, the other a shining emerald,  
were narrowed menacingly.

"C'mon, Sev, he's not worth it," Lily said, taking "Sev"'s arm and  
steered him out the compartment door.

We still had nearly two hours before we arrived at Hogwarts. Man,  
these train rides always take so much longer than I remember...

I tried a number of things to occupy my bored-to-no-end mind: more  
exploding snap, reading, thinking, gazing at the sunset, talking with  
Sirius, James, Remus, playing pin the tail on the chocolate frog (a  
variation of pin the tail on the donkey where a chocolate frog jumps  
around the room and you have to catch it, blindfolded) and even  
drawing which I love to do.

I was halfway thru a sketch of a cat, when I remembered... Just that,  
actually.

"Cat!" I yelled.

"Yes, Beaky," James said, leaning over my shoulder to look at my  
drawing. "Cat... Caaaaaaaat..." He pointed pointed to my sketch like  
he was trying to teach a baby its meaning.

"No, not thaaat," I said, then burst out laughing.

"What?" Sirius asked eagerly.

"It's just," more laughs. "I'm so stupid!"

"Yeah, we got that," said James, wearing a bewildered, yet mildly  
amused look on his face that matched everyone else's in the compartment.

"You won't believe... What I left... At home...!" I said through  
hiccupping laughs.

"What, your brain?"

"No..." I smiled. "My cat."

Silence.

Then, in a desperate attempt to hold in my laugh, I snorted.

Like, major snort-age, too.

Oh, then we laughed.

"Jane!" I heard a familiar voice call through the hallway moments later.

Stifling my giggles, I got up quickly and threw open the compartement  
door, hard.

"Lor-OW!" A little too hard... the door bounced back and hit me right  
on the side of my head. I heard Sirius burst out in fresh laughter.

"Lorin...!" I said mock-feebly, massaging the side of my head,  
stumbling towards my friend.

"Oh... You poor baby," she said, sticking out her bottom lip. "Come  
on, I'm stealing you away from your guy friends!"

She grabbed my arm but I 'fought' and brown hair, hazel eye, pudgy  
Lorin won. Once she had me, she picked me up by my waiste and threw me  
over her shoulder like a rag doll.

"Hey-OOF!"

"AAAAARGG!" I pounded on her back and squirmed but man she had an  
iron grip.

Giving up, I called, "James- tell me when I need to change, 'kay?"

"'kay!" he replied, muffled from inside the compartment.

My big friend carried me over to the compartment full of girls I room  
with: Lily, Kat and Annalise.

"He-ey " I called looking at them upside-down when we entered the  
compartment.

"What's up?"

"How was your summer?"

"Jane!"

"For me, the ground, great and this is she!" I answered.

Lorin set me down on a bench and I surveyed my friends. Tall, slender,  
short, black haired, brown eyed African American Kat sat across from  
me, her beautiful face beaming. Next to her lounged average looking  
Annalise, her green eyes sparkling and auburn hair sleek. She was  
originally from France but her parents disagreed with some of the  
things taught at Beauxbatons, so they sent her to Hogwarts. Fiery-  
haired Lily sat beside her and my larger friend Lorin occupied the  
space beside me.

"Good job, Lorin, stealing her away from her boys!" Kat said, high-fiveing Lorin.

"It wasn't easy," said Lorin, smiling toothily down at me.

"Deed you 'ave a good summehr?" Annalise asked, her accent stronger  
because she'd spent summer in France.

"Awesome! Sirius stayed with us again. Mum kicked him out..." I  
answered. "And yours?"

"Très bonne!" she answered.

"Tell her, 'Lise! Tell her who you met!" Lily said, elbowing her in  
the ribs.

"Ow! Ok... I met anuzzer weezard ovehr the summehr and well... we're  
dating now..." a blush began to creep up on her smooth cheeks.

"That's great!" I said, meaning it. "At least one of us has got it  
right!"

Everyone seemed to have their own boy problem.

Lily: Severus obviously likes her and she's oblivious to it. I still  
consider it a problem. The little creeper.

Kat: beautiful Kat has the problem everyone wants-all the guys like  
her and proceed to ask her out. It's pretty sick in my opinion...

Lorin: poor Lorin... She's the nicest person I know. But none of the  
guys can seem to get past the "excess weight" and see that she's an  
amazing person. She's never been asked out in her life. Poor girl.

And then there's me: Sirius. Just the name sends a ba-zillion emotions  
coursing through my mind and body. It's the friend-boyfriend bump every  
girl fears.

After around fifteen minutes of catching up, James summoned me and I  
changed my clothes. I was sad. I'd really gotten attached to those  
muggle boots called Uggs.

It was so depressing to think that this would be my last train rides  
to Hogwarts. These train rides always held the prospect of a new year  
that held innumerable unknown adventures and exiting things. My last  
year at Hogwarts... No more Hogwarts...! The thought made me feel  
like I was suffocating.

So I thought about something else... Anything else...

Sirius.

Of course.

**The boring part:**

**Oh, boy! Barely made this deadline! :P Christmas Par-tay! That's why it's so short. Sorry... Oh! Important info: these next few chapters are really strictly 'building blocks'. I need to introduce characters and set things up for the action. So don't give up on me! I promise it'll get better. As always, review! And hope you have some fun wrapping presents! :D**

**Keep dancing!**

**XO**

**Zoe**


	3. Chapter 3

**Big delay! My bad… But in my defense, it was Christmas and I figured no one would read it anyway!**

I exited the train back with the Marauders. A gust of hot, humid air  
met me when I stepped off it. I gazed up into the deep, blue, vast  
expanse of the sky. It was a cloudless night, I would've been able to  
see every star in the sky but the contrast of the blinding lights in  
the platform blocked my view of many of the stars... except a few,  
Sirius included. It was when I was looking up at the sky that Sirius  
commented (over the gamekeeper Ogg's voice- "first years over here!").

"I see you're looking at me," Sirius said with a cheeky smile.

"Huh?" I said, shifting my eyes from his star to the two equally  
bright ones on his face.

"My star-Sirius. I'm beautiful, aren't I, Miss Beaky?" he finished  
fake-dreamily.

Yes and... yes.

"Oh... yeah..." I said 'cooly'.

"So... what're ya gonna do about Ruby?" he asked, Ruby being my cat.

I snorted.

"I'll write to my mum and see if she can send her by owl post," I  
said, a mental picture of a school owl carrying a basket with my ruby-  
haired cat, Ruby in it. Yes, you heard right. I died my cat's hair red.

"That'll be interesting," he commented.

Sirius, Remus, James, Peter and I all climbed into a self-driving  
carriage. With a creaky jerk, the carriage set off toward the castle.

The carriage rattled away and I caught a glimpse of the castle through  
the trees. After a minute or so, the trees ended and we turned into a  
large wrought iron gate with a winged boar on each side. The castle  
came fully into view and I gasped. The Hogwarts never ceases to amaze  
me. It seems to get more beautiful every year, with its many turrets  
and towers and sparkling windows.

The carriage continued across the grounds. Past the shimmering dark  
waters of the Black Lake, the thrashing branches of the Whomping  
Willow, the wooden gamekeeper's cabin and the closely-knitted woods of  
the Forbidden Forest. It pulled up to the castle's massive oak front  
doors. I hopped our of the carriage first, skipped up the stairs and  
through the front door. The light inside was bright and I had to pause  
for my eyes to adjust.

A large marble staircase sloped in to the left and several hallways  
branched off from the main entryway, each lined with large dark wooden  
doors. To my right was the Great Hall and through it's two wide open  
doors I could see a corner of the enchanted ceiling, the stars sparkling—

"Potter! Miss Potter! Come here please!" Professor McGonagall called,  
walking purposefully down the steps of the Grand Staircase. Heads turned.

What did I do this time?

"Ooooooooh... The dragon wants you, Janney," someone whispered in my  
ear- Sirius.

"Ugh..." I mumbled. "Yes, professor?"

"Come with me, please," she said as she reached me.

She took me to another, quieter hallway.

"I got Ogg to explain the sorting to the first years. I needed to  
speak to you," she began.

"It's about James..."

I raised an eyebrow.

"It's just- I don't quite... er... agree with the headmaster's head  
boy appointment."

I nodded.

"I need you to look after him, Miss Potter... Just-er... keep him in  
line..."

"Me?"

Me of all people? Me, who had more detentions in one semester than a  
single girl in Hogwarts history?

"Yes, you, Miss Potter. Just- make sure he doesn't do too much  
damage..."

"MINERVA! MINERVA!" a deep voice called. Footsteps pounded, coming  
towards us, and a short, balding, middle-aged man came sprinting into the  
hallway.

"Yes, Ogg?" Professor said with an annoyed sigh.

"The giant... squid... took... first... year!" he managed, breathless,  
his hands on his knees.

"Oh, my!" McGonagall exclaimed, moving forward. "Potter I expect you can take yourself  
to the Great Hall?" I nodded and she trotted off behind Ogg.

"Well, then..."

I turned and headed back to the Great Hall for some hard earned  
feasting. I walked toward to entry way and found three Slytherins  
lounging suspiciously by the opening to my hallway.

They blocked the opening and the one in the middle said, "Where do ya  
think you're going?"

They began to move toward me.

"Oh, I dunno. Maybe the Welcome Back Feast?" I spat sarcastically.

"Hmmm... Attitude," the one on the left commented. They kept stalking  
forward, in constant menacing motion.

I whipped out my wand.

"That'll be useless, three against one."

They all lunged at once.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion.

My wand was knocked out of my hand and clattered to the floor,  
useless. Clack... Clack... Clack... and it rolled away. A hand grabbed  
a fistful of my hair and an arm swung around my neck and held me  
still. I couldn't move. Someone grabbed my wrists and pinned them  
behind my back. A fist hit my stomach, hard. And another. I couldn't  
breath. Between each punch, I gasped for breath but, another fist  
came. I heard a sickening crunch and my rib broke. Pain exploded in my  
torso. I felt someone kick the back if my knees and I fell to the  
ground. My vision blurred and my head pounded as they kicked at me.

"Hey! What the-" I heard a voice, far away. "JANE! JAAAAAANE!"

And I blacked out.

***

"Out! Out! Before she-"

I tentatively opened my eyes and sat up slowly, confused.

"-wakes up..." Madame Pomphrey finished dejectedly.

And then I remembered the fight. Well... beating.

I glanced around at the worried faces if my best friends: James,  
Sirius, Remus, Lily, Analise, Kat and Lorin all frozen like I pressed  
pause on a muggle movie thingy.

My head began to pound and an uncomfortable, tingling sensation  
feeling pulsed through my body.

"I feel like I..." I began.

"Got ran over and sucked up by one of those crazy cool muggle road  
cleaner truck thingies?" Sirius finished, his voice dripping with  
goofy happiness.

I smiled.

"I was going to say 'got knocked off my broom, sixty feet in the air  
by a bludger' but that works too."

That so happened.

In fourth year.

On brooms, Hufflepuffs aren't the kind, sweet little badgers we  
perceive them to be. They're little devils. With good aim.

"What's the damage?" I asked Madame Pomphrey, very aware of the  
process. Everyone in Quidditch is.

"Two broken ribs, bruised collarbone and a nasty scar by your left  
temple I can't seem to get rid of," she said, going through a list on  
a clipboard.

"Sweet. Battle scars." I said.

"Uh. No. Not sweet. We're going to need some major make-up for that,"  
Lily commented.

I rolled my eyes.

Lily knows full-well she can't force me into make-up.

"How long do I have to stay here?" I asked.

"Hmmm... At least a day or two."

I groaned.

"But I feel fine" not a TOTAL lie "and I can always come back if I  
need to. Plus, Lily's training to be a healer and there's always the  
house elves."

If there's one thing I hate, it's lying down for two days straight.

Madame Pomphrey considered this for a moment.

"Alright but-"

"Yes!"

"Lily I must speak to you about this first. Alone, if you will."

I changed into some robes Kat brought me while Pomphrey talked to  
Lily. When I finished, Lily was beaming. We set off, laden with  
medicine, to the dormitories.

"Oh, shoot!" I said, remembering Ruby.

"What?"

"I need to send a letter to mum. Ya'know about Ruby," I explained,  
turning towards the owlery.

"Ruby?" Annalise asked.

"I left here at home."

"I'll come with!" piped James, looking pointedly at Sirius.

"What a sweet brother. But who knows what trouble I'll be missing if I  
do not join thee twins?" Sirius said, understanding.

"And as prefect, it is my duty to prevent that trouble!" Remus said.

My roommates looked at me with raised eyebrows and cocked hips.

"You guys go on, I'll see you later." I said with a smile.

Sirius said, continuing the formal talk.

"Yes, fair ladies, fare well on your treacherous journey to the com-  
OOF! Ja-ane!"

I slapped him in the stomach with the back or my hand.

"Fine. See ya later Jane," Kat said, her chocolate eyes narrowed  
suspiciously.

Our parties split and the four of us headed to the owlrey. We entered  
the high, dome-ceilinged chamber that smelled awfully of owl  
droppings. It was strangely empty.

"Hmmm... They're out hunting." I said, glancing out the tall windows  
at the night sky.

"How do I-"

"Accio Owl!" James said.

A large barn owl suddenly came zooming in through the window, flailing  
about and screeching loudly in protest.

I nicked a piece of parchment and a quill from the supply they have in  
the owlery and wrote my mum a quick letter:

Hi, mum.

I'm a big fat idiot. I can't believe I left Ruby! I'm so stupid. Could  
you please send her?

Thanks,  
Janey

P.S. I love you and dad!

I tied the letter to the poor owl and it flew away, giving my an angry  
look and a squawk as it left.

"Now, to business." James said, leaning against a wall that didn't  
have poop on it. "The full moon is this weekend and I want to go  
someplace new..."

"Forbidden Forest?" Sirius suggested.

"Been there."

"Black Lake?" I said.

"Done that."

"What about... The mountains outside Hogsmeade?"

He considered it for a moment.

"Ok! That sounds great! Common room, sundown, Thursday, Friday,  
Saturday. I'll bring the cloak."

We all nodded.

"Hey, guys?" Remus voiced.

"Hmm?" "Yeah?" "What's up?"

"I don't want to be all sappy but... Thanks. Ya'know, for doing this  
for me." he said, looking away, not meeting our eyes.

James smiled and strolled easily towards him.

"This stopped being just for you a looooooooong time ago... But you're  
welcome anyway."

Remus smiled too and we headed back to the common room. Soon we were  
at the portrait saying "Flobberworms" and climbing through the hole.

The common room was dim and the fire was only just glowing. A large  
squishy couch sat in front of it and other arm chairs were placed  
around the room. A few tables stood here and there and two staircases  
spiraled up to the left.

I yawned looking longingly at the couch.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Late," answered James.

"K. G'night Jamesy." I hugged him. "Night guys." I waved at Remus and  
Sirius.

"What! Come one, I deserve a hug!" Sirius protested and opened his  
arms wide and expectantly.

"Sure," I said sarcastically and poking his stomach. Man, he has abs!  
Regardless of his muscles, his upper body collapsed in.

"Ow! Come on, I'm serious!"

"Yes. yes, you are." I said and turned to walk up the girl's stairs.

"Har, har."

I felt two iron arms wrap around my middle and lift me the staircase.  
Savoring the feeling, he spun me around and I laughed loudly.

"Sssshhhh. Jeez. Wake up the whole house, why don't ya?" he whispered  
in my ear. I giggled.

"You two have fun. I'm tired. Night." said James who was already  
halfway up the boy's stairs. Remus winked and followed.

Sirius stopped spinning and set me on the ground but his arm remained  
around me.

I don't know how long we stood there, his chin on my shoulder and my  
face buried into his neck.

"You still owe me a hug, Miss Beaky!" he teased.

"Well you're not going to get one!" I teased back and I reluctantly  
pulled away from his warm embrace. I ran and hid behind the couch,  
peeking over the edge.

He narrowed his eyes and strode over.

Oh, really? We'll see about that!" he said and made a grab for me.  
His hand wrapped around my wrist and he pulled me to the ground. He  
pinned me.

"About that hug..."

"Never!"

I squirmed... hopeless.

"Fine..." I grumbled, 'angry'.

He helped me up and pulled me into a tight hug.

"I'm glad you're ok," he said seriously, his voice deep and kind.

I smiled, "Me too."

He held me at arms length and traced my scar with his pointer finger.

He hugged me again.

"Goodnight, Jane," he murmured into my hair.

"Goodnight, Sirius... I-" I paused. No... Don't do it.

"Hmmm?"

"Nothing. Goodnight, Padfoot."

We broke apart and I trudged up the girl's staircase, wishing I was  
back in his arms.

**The Boring Part:**

**Hmmm… a bit of action. I'm not sure what I think about it… Well tell me what you think! As always, review! Hope you guys had a great Christmas like I did!**

**Keep dancing,**

**XO**

**Zoe :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**I'm going to warn you: this chapter has a TON of spelling mistakes. Sorry!**

**Please excuse me... my new laptop doesn't have word so I have to use**

**wordpad and my iPod's spell check is awful and the spacing is all messed up**

**because wordpad STINKS and... I'll spare you the details. Just please ignore**

**the grammar/spelling/spacing mistakes. Believe me. There are many.**

By the time I reached my dormatory, my head was spinning. Either

because of the time I just spent with Sirius or because I was so

hungry I was nasueous.

But to determine which, I had to wait because Lily, Kat, Analise and

Lorin rounded on me as soon as I entered the dormatory. I was angry. I

was SERIOUSLY hungry.

"What was THAT all about?" Lily voiced for all of them.

"I had to send a letter," I said, shrugging and sidepassed them.

They laughed. "Not THAT, stupid. Tha-at..." Lorin said.

"I don't know wha-at you're talking about. I'm tired. 'Night."

Lily scoffed. "You nearly woke up the whole house. Were not stupid.

What happened?"

"I'll tell you in the morning. Im really tired. And hungry."

With considerable abuse to me, they agreed and I changed clothes.

"Minnee!" I called.

Several girls protested from their four-poster, curtain-in-ed beds and

one said, muffled,"Geez, Jay. For someone so tired, you sure are loud."

With a *pop* a tiny, wrinkled old house elf materialized next to my bed.

"Hello, Master Potter! Good to see you again, ma'am!" she said in a

high, squeaky voice.

"Ssssshhhhhh!" said several girls.

"Soooorrry!" I said in a whisper. "It's really great to see you too!

I'll have to visit you in the kitchen again!"

Minnee was our house elf at home but, when James and I headed off to

Hogwarts, our parents gave her to the school where she would be of

more use. She's the elf who told us how to get into the kitchens and

we visit her often.

"Oh! That would be lovely, Miss!" she squeeked very quietly.

"Yes, it would. Now, can I ask you for a favor?"

"Oh, yes, Miss," she said, bouncing on her toes.

"Could you grab me some food from the kitchens? I'm starved. I had a

little... Accident... And I missed dinner."

She nodded vigorously. I told her thank you and she disappeared with a

*pop*.

Minutes latter, she apperated next to my bed with a tray of food and

another elf named Cobbs. I ate quickly, thanked the elves, thanked

them again, brushed my teeth and laid down.

"Finally..." I thought as I sank into the cool, plushy bed. "This day

has been sooooooo long."

My stomach full and my body still tingling from where Sirius had held

me, I fell into a deep slumber, full of vivid dreams I could only wish

were true...

"JANE LAURELISE POTTER! WAKE. UP."

The green spotted, purple-skinned lepracan whispered quietly, it's

large blue eyes enlarged in his thick glasses, "I see your

fuuuuuuter..."

It stopped looking at me and gazed into the foggy glass figurine of

John Lennon in his hand. The John Lennon motioned for him to come

closer. It whispered in the lepracan's ear. The future-teller nodded

and mumbled something.

"JAAA-AAANE!"

"No, no. Tell me, Master Zeanai! What will happened to me?"

"WAKE. UUUUUUUPP!"

"NO, NO, Tell me!"

"Your future holds many trials... But there is joy due to who you're

with..."

"JAAAAAAAANE!"

The lepecan and John Lennon began to ripple like the surface of water,

then fade very quickly.

"Who? Who with?"

The lepracan winked. "The one you least expect."

And they vanished.

"Tickle torture in 5... 4... 3... 2..."

"Ok! Ok! I'm up!" I screamed and saw Kat croutched on the end of my

bed.

She shrugged.

"1..."

And she pounced.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHG-HA-HA..."

"You are too easy," she said, shaking her mane of perfectly sleek

black hair, gorgeous even in the morning.

"Mrph."

"Well, 'mrph' to you too!"

"C'mon. Breakfast!" she stood and pulled me out of bed.

"Oof!" I said, sore in seemingly every place in my body.

"What?" Kat asked, looking at my curiously.

"Nothing. Just-ow... " I said, snatching some clothes from my still

packed trunk and heading stiffly to the bathroom.

"Hurry!" Kat said.

"Sure."

I entered the bathroom and found my cubbey labeled 'Potter, Jane' and

grabbed my toiletries. When I was finished brushing my teeth, taming

my curls, putting on deodorant, and changing into my school robes, I

paused, gazing into the mirror.

My great blue eyes were shining like pools of liquid sky, framed by my

large, bouncing blonde curls. But there was something else, an awful

blemish. And, no, I don't get pimples. James taught me a spell to get

rid of them.

A thick, raised scar ran all the way from my hairline, across my

temple and ended, below my eyebrow, right before my eyeball. It was a

strange scar. What would make a scar like this? Some terrible curse?

Certainly not something so typical as a knife.

"C'mon, Jay!"

"Be out in a sec!"

I glanced once more at my reflection. That ugly scar.

When we finally reached the Great Hall Kat and I were ravenous. I

glanced up to see buckets of rain falling and heavy, dark clouds.

"Great day for Herbology," I said sarcastically as grabbed my schedule

from the Ravenclaw Professor Avaria who teaches charms.

"Double!" Kat exclaimed as we sat down at the strangley empty

Gryffindor table. We must've been early.

"Hey guys!" said Lily across from me as I spooned some eggs on my plate.

"What's up, Lils? How was James? As annoying as usual?" Kat inquired.

"Oh my gosh! Lily! I'm so sorry I forgot to switch!" I said, slapping

my forhead.

"No, no, it's ok. James and I agreed that it'd be easier to do our

Head of School duties if we worked together. Besides, my room is

charmed so that he can't get in!" Lily explained.

"You two, get along? No. Way." Kat said, disbelieving.

I didn't know what to think. I simply said, "Whatever you say, Lil."

More students began to trickle in, including Lorin.

"Hullo," she mumbled as she sank into the bench. "I'm so tired."

"What from?" I asked, concerned.

"I can't sleep. Dunno why." was her answer. She began to silently pour

herself some orange juice, spilling it on the table in the process.

"It's Ben," said Kat.

"No way. Definately Gabriel." argued Lily.

Both girls were scrutinizing the Ravenclaw table, eyes narrowed.

"But Ben's so much nicer," argued Kat.

"Were not going on the nice scale, were going on the hotness scale.

Gabriel is SO much hotter than Ben." Lily countered.

I shook my head, smiling.

"What do you think, J?" Kat asked.

C: Sirius.

"Definately Gabe!" I lied with a smile.

Kat glared at me playfully. Lily said, "Thank you!"

I heard an angry scream and some French cuss words Annalise taught me

traveling in through the hallway.

"That was meant for a Slytherin but your reaction was priceless!"

James's voice echoed through the Hall, turning heads.

"Vous êtes mort!" Annalise's voice shrieked, which literally means "You are

dead!"

I smiled and left my glorious eggs. The scene that met me was both

hilarious and terrifying.

I have never seen Annalise so angry.

She was hanging from the cieling of the entrance hall, completly pink.

Not like _oh-my-goodness-tee-hee-I'm-blushing pink_, but _I-am-going-to-kill-James-and-_

_Sirius-for-charming-me-florescent-pink-all-over-my-entire-body_ pink.

James and Sirius were below her, rolling on the floor laughing their

butts off.

"There are seventeen different ways to kill you and make it look like

an accident! I know fourteen! Let me down, turn me my natural color,

and I will _think_ about not killing you!" this new, livid Annalise

bellowed, her arms crossed over her chest.

The boys ignored her.

"Fine. But you WERE warned," she said.

"Whoa! What happened to you?" a young Hufflepuff boy said, one of the

first to check out the commotion. Other simialar questions rang out

from a gathering croud, many taunting.

I'm just glad she had shorts under her skirt.

"Her, er... Jane. Could you help me down?" she called down to me over

the guffawing laughter.

"Sure thing," I smiled.

I rushed over to the cackling boys and lifted them up by the back of

their shirts. Hey. I'm a chaser, I've got bicepts.

"C'mon, guys. Help her out!"

"Fiiiiiiine. But ya know she's pink for twenty-four hours." James said.

"WHAT? AAAAAAAH! I am going to kill you!" Annalise shrieked from

above.

"Sure, sure," James said, waving off her death threat.

"I'm pretty sure she will, James! Ya better watch out!" Sirius taunted

as they slowly brought her down from the ceiling.

Annalise shrieked and stomped off to the bathroom screaming loudly in

French. I turned to go help her but glanced at James and Sirius first.

What I found was not what I expected.

An arm was draped comfortably around Sirius's waist.

Kat's.

She saw me looking and flashed her terribly gorgeous smile, mouthing,

"He asked me out!"

I faked a smile (which probably looked more like a grimace), bit the

inside of my lip to keep me from saying something irrational and mean,

spun on my heel, and ran.

I sprinted flat out, down the hallway to the bathroom.

Because that's what I do.

When I'm angry...

I run.

**The Boring Part:**

**Okay... so a _little_ drama here. A little hurt. Tell me what you think. I apologize**

**again for the mistakes. I hate them soooo much! Grrr... Anyway. A little random info**

**on me: my horse is really sick! The poor baby got kicked in the face by another horse,**

**is all swollen and has a fever. I feel like throwing up right now because I'm surviving on**

**Twizzlers and movie popcorn (Gulliver's Travels... interesting movie). A mean lady is**

**coming to take her horse that stays at our house back from my cousin who is**

**insanely attached to it. And my B-Day is in a couple days too. So! The point of that**

** is... there is none. So disregard it if you will, please. Don't go feeling sorry for me.**

**I'm a spoiled brat, that's what I am. Look at me! Complaining! When there's children**

**in Africa that don't even have food, clean water or parents. Agh. I'm awful. Just ignore**

**this meaningless rambling and have a good night.**

**Oh! Duh... review! :)**

**Keep dancing...**

**XO**

**Zoe**


	5. Chapter 5

I flung open the bathroom door and caught a glimpse of Annalise  
angrily scrubbing at her skin before I began to rant like a maniac.

"Boys!" I shouted.

"They act like you're only a friend..." I began as I started to pace  
back and forth.

"...lead you on..." I aimed a kick at the toilet stall.

"...then you find out they're going out with your best friend!"

I leaned against the tiled wall and crossed my arms with an angry huff.

"What happened?" Annalise asked dully, scrubbing hopelessly at her neon pink  
skin.

I sighed.

"I never told you, but Sirius was acting all sweet last night. Ya'  
know, like I was more than a friend. Now Kat's just told me she's  
going out with him." I explained in a dramatically angry voice.

"And the worst part is-" Annalise began.

"She knew." I interrupted. "She knows I like him, but she doesn't care.  
I just don't believe she'd do that. That's just not Kat."

We were silent for a moment. The only sound was the hypnotic drip...  
drip... drip... of a distant leak. It was strangely calming and  
cleared my head.

Annalise turned off the squeaky tap.

"I'm sorry, Jay." she said, drying her arms, just as bright as before  
she washed them.

I mean, come ON! The past four years all I've done is think about you  
and you pay me back by making my best friend your girlfriend?

"Oh, well," I said, looking down at the blue patterned tile floor. "I  
guess boys are just too much trouble. I need to focus on something  
else."

"Your studies?" Brainiac Annalise said, forever hopeful I'd become  
more serious about my grades.

"Heck, no," I said, smiling my most mischievous smile...

"Quidditch."

Days passed like water trickling through your open hands. My last days at Hogwarts like this and I couldn't seem to find a hallway or broom closet  
Sirius and Kat WEREN'T snogging in. Okay, that's an exaggeration. I  
only caught them twice. But it put quite a damper on my whole "get the most out of it while I got it" attitude.

And Kat has seemed quite distant. She doesn't talk to me or Annalise.  
Annalise told her off for me. I wanted to avoid the hurt and argument.  
But there isn't a way to avoid her or the awkwardness that comes with  
her. I mean, she lives with me. How much closer can you get?

The full moon weekend was like old times. I had some real fun. Sirius  
is totally unaware of the grief he's caused me so he treats me the  
same as he used to. I'm happy about that. I couldn't bear it if I lost  
HIM, too.

I've begun to practice Quidditch every night I can. It helps. Flying  
does miraculous things to your mind. The wind whooshing by seems to  
take your troubles with it. On nights I can't get outside for a couple  
hours, I transform into an owl and fly around the grounds.

Nearly two weeks passed like this. My friends distant and me farther.  
This division between Kat and I made the dormitories utterly silent.  
I'd shared my secrets with her and she'd thrown them away. I could  
hardly hang out with Sirius anymore because Kat was always hanging on  
him. A few precious nights she was busy doing this or that and I'd  
seize the opportunity for some old Marauder Time. The teachers were  
also pounding us with homework, almost like they're fitting in the  
most they possibly can before we leave for good. Regardless, I still  
found time to fly and it was on one of the nights where I was  
practicing in the Quidditch pitch, zooming after balls I charmed to  
shoot off the ground, that someone approached me.

"Pretty good," he said. "But I can do much better."

I looked down and saw Sirius but, his voice was colder, gruffer.  
Strange...

"Hey, Padfoot!" I said, flying down towards him.

"Pad-what?" he said.

"Whoa. 'Kay, thought you were Sirius," I said, taken aback. I hopped  
off my broom and sank into the plushy grass. It made him look even  
taller than normal.

He flinched, "Easy mistake."

I realized with a start that this wasn't Sirius at all, it was his  
supposedly evil little brother, Regulus.

"So, what're you doing here?" I asked, ready to get to the point. You  
can never be too careful with a Slytherin.

"To help you," he said simply and with a smile I've never seen on his  
face before.

I raised an eyebrow.

"To help me? Your opponent." I said, disbelieving. Does he really  
think I'm that stupid? He's a Slytherin chaser. I'll be hitting him  
upside the head with my broomstick in a month and a half.

"Yep. We both know we can't train alone. I help you, you help me. Iron  
sharpens iron."

"What's in it for you?" I asked.

"Experience playing against a Gryffindor."

"And for me?"

He smiled and said, "Experience playing against a Slytherin."

I thought about it for a moment. He's got a point, we both would  
improve more, training against the opponent...

"Okay, deal." I said. Regulus held out his hand. I shook it.

"We should probably start tomorrow, it's nearly dark," he said.

We headed back up to the castle in silence. Peaceful, dreamy silence.

"What has Sirius said about me?" Regulus suddenly said, breaking the  
silence. He had stopped and I turned to face him. In the dying light  
and soft wind, he looked almost angelic. He was terribly beautiful.  
Just like his brother. How much, and how quickly I began to like him  
scared me.

"Jane?"

I shook my head to clear my thoughts.

"Hmmm?"

"What has Sirius said about me?" he asked, shoving his hands deep into  
his pockets.

Oh... The awkward question... I didn't want to elaborate so I said  
slowly, "Nothing good."

His face fell and I was surprised. From what I've seen of him, Sirius  
has been right. He hangs with Death Eaters, even. I've never had any  
doubt that he's just like all other Slytherins: pure-blood obsessed,  
power hungry, slimy little snakes.

"Well, he's lying. Tell him I've changed. Tell him I'm different now,"  
he boldly looked straight in my eyes when he said this. He was so desperate.  
He wanted his brother back and I understood.

I nodded.

"Thanks," was his only reply and he started off quickly to the castle,  
knowing full well I couldn't keep up with his long strides.

It was dark now, and so beautiful. Every star was out, proving to me  
that the world isn't so awful, so complicated, as it seems.

I started back to the castle, my broom over my shoulder and a seed of  
a strange new love embedded in my heart.

"Dude, Jane. WHAT the heck are you doing?"

"This looks really weird, doesn't it?"

"Uh... Duh."

It was Sunday morning and Remus was already up. That's sad. It's the  
weekend, boy!

"It's not THAT weird."

"You're sleeping on the floor in the middle of the common room. Pretty  
weird... What happened?"

I smiled and looked up from my sleeping bag at his towering form.

"It's a long story..."

He smiled.

"I've got time."

"Well... Lorin charmed my bed into a waterbed and I went to sleep but I  
got motion sick so I tried to sleep on the ground of my dorm but it's  
wood and really hard. So I came down here and tried the couch but it's  
too short, even for me. So I tried the floor and I fell asleep. But I  
didn't sleep very well so I woke up early."

He raised his eyebrows.

"And when did you catch on fire?"

"I... don't know..."

"And why are you soaking wet?"

"I have no idea..."

His laughter rang like music through the empty and dark common room.

"You're crazy, Beaky!" he said, grinning and helping me up.

"Thank you!"

"Now go take a shower, you smell like a smoker."

"Thank you!"

He laughed again and I skipped up the stairs to shower.

I love Sundays. Nobody ever expects anything of you. It's the day of  
rest.

When I showered, I only rinsed off because I knew I'd just get sweaty  
practicing Quiddich with Regulus.

I dressed quickly and quietly because everyone was still asleep. The  
Great Hall was nearly empty except for the teachers and a few  
dazed looking students still wiping the sleep out of their eyes.

I made my way quickly down to the Quidditch pitch, my robes flapping  
behind me. It was a glorious day, with a light wind and the feeling of  
freedom—the absence of all worries and responsibilities—made my  
heart light and my mouth curve into an easy smile. The sky was a  
breath taking, forget-me-not blue with a few pillow-fluffed clouds  
floating effortlessly here and there. The late summer sun shot down  
waves of heat that the wind blew away immediately, giving me a warm but  
refreshed feeling. A breeze sent a pine-fresh scent my way that came  
straight from the Forbidden Forest—its thick trees looming dark and  
ominous nearby.

Regulus wasn't at the pitch yet so I mounted my broom and floated here  
and there lazily. The wind blew easily at robes sending them flapping  
and snapping.

"Why're you so early? It's the weekend." Regulus's voice said a good  
fifteen minutes later, far away on the ground.

"I could ask the same of you, too." I said, diving down to meet him.

"Hmmm..." he said, thinking. "I like the silence. The castle gets...  
crowded, and my mind cluttered... The open air clears it..."

I nodded in agreement and hovered beside him.

"Yeah... I guess it's the same for me. Flying especially helps."

"Good. We've got work to do!"

Practice was fun... and hard. The breeze became almost nonexistent and  
the sun's heat burned at the back of my neck.

We hopped our brooms and made our way to the Great Hall for lunch.

"Jane." someone said from the doorway. Someone angry.

Someone named Sirius Black.

"Yeeeeeeeeees...?"

"We need to talk," said Sirius.

Regulus glanced back at me.

"You go on, Regulus," I said.

"Yes, YOU go on_, Reg-u-lus_," Sirius spat at him and led me away to the  
relative quiet of another hallway.

I put my hands on my hips.

"WHAT were you doing with Regulus?" he asked, his fists balled.

"Training," I told him.

"What, so he's miraculously nice now? I've told you, Jane, he's no  
good. He's evil," he said.

"Well he's only been NICE to me. Unlike somebody I know!"

There. I said it.

What had been bothering me to no end these past days.

He didn't even know he hurt me.

And now I've hurt him.

Confusion shot across his face, then realization, then hurt, then anger.

"You're getting back at me for going out with Kat, by going out with  
my brother? My evil brother? Jane, who _does_ that?"

Now I was angry.

"I'm not going out with your brother, Sirius! I was just saying you  
hurt me!"

"Why? What difference does it make to you who I date?"

It's not me.

"But you still can't hang around him, Jane. He's bad!" he said anyway,  
to fill my awkward silence.

"What business is it of your's who I hang out with?"

"I know how he is! He-he uses unforgivables, he's a Death Eater!"

"Really," I spat. "Because he said he's different. He told me to tell  
you he's changed."

"He hasn't. He's vile, evil—"

"No, Sirius. I think YOU'RE the evil one."

I would've seen true pain if I would've glanced back at him, but I  
didn't. I turned on my heel and stalked away.

"Jane," Sirius whispered softly, grabbing my hand to stop me. "Jane, I  
thought we were friends..."

I turned to him. His eyes were pleading, so desperate, so hurt.

"I thought so, too, Sirius."

I jerked my hand away and headed for my haven of a dorm—my heart heavy and my  
appetite lost.

**The Boring Part:**

**I'm awful at fight scenes. Man… I hate them, too. My birthday was awesome! :P But I'm sick. YIPEEE! Just in time for school. Perfect timing, immune system. Thanks. I would've updates earlier but my brother wouldn't get me Word quick enough. "I'm not your slave, Zoe" "I don't have time, Zoe" "I'm eating beef jerky, Zoe" Learn to multi-task, dude! Anyway... Happy New Years! Make my year and review? Pleeeeeease? Thanks :)**

**Keep dancing**

**XO**

**Zoe**


	6. Chapter 6

**do-do-do-DO-do-do….. All…my…jeans…are low riderrr… the low-ri-der is a little higher… **

**I'm **___**über**_** multi-tasking, watching George Lopez and writing this. So if I randomly say "WHAPPAAAAAH!" don't be confused. It's little George-ee rubbing off on me. Anyway… on with the story!**

"What did you do, Jane? Sirius won't come out of his bed."

I was staring dully, zoned-out, into the dying fire. I was already  
feeling the knot of guilt. James and Remus's interrogation wasn't  
helping.

"What did you say?"

It was late and I was tired. And silent.

"Jane..." James said, joining me on the couch and sliding an arm around my shoulders. "Pleeeease tell  
me."

The dancing fire was hypnotic and comforting.

"I was angry... Didn't mean to-to... say..." I mumbled.

"What did you say?" Remus said this time. "We can talk to him, Jay."

"We were fighting," I said. "about Regulus."

"Regulus?" said James.

"What has he got to do with it?" Remus, this time, said.

"Everything," I continued. "We were helping eachother train for  
Quidditch and Sirius said to stay away from him and that he was  
evil... and-and I said, no, that he, Sirius, was... that he was worse  
than his brother."

There was silence full of thought.

"I was angry... I didn't mean to hurt him..."

"Well you failed there," James said. "He won't come out, not even for  
dog treats. And Regulus is seriously bad stuff, Jay. I've seen hi—  
OW!"

An owl came hurtling through the window at break-neck speed and hit  
James straight on the head.

"Bloody school owls," he grumbled. "Can't fly straight..."

He began chasing after the poor bird to get the letter, but it kept  
dancing out of his reach.

"Or even deliver their letters right!"

I recognized the owl suddenly and said, "It's not for you, bucket-  
head." and I easily seized and unrolled the letter.

It was from my mom. She said sending Ruby by owl would be considered  
animal cuelty by the Ministry of Magic. I would have to meet her in  
Hogsmeade where she would apperate. She also sent a permission form  
for me to give a teacher to allow me to go to Hogsmeade. I'd meet her  
next Saturday at two o'clock sharp outside the castle gates.

I hurried up to bed before James or Remus or anybody else for that  
matter could ask me anymore questions about Sirius.

I knew I'd been wrong and I planned to apologize the moment I saw him  
next morning.

I hate conflict.

***

That never happened.

Apparently, Sirius wasn't sorry at all. He entered the Great Hall the  
next day, a new spring in his step and looking like he was having the  
time of his life without me.

No more apologies.

That scumbag, that mean, spiteful little dev—

"Practice this afternoon?" a familiar voice whispered in my ear.

I turned and smiled at Regulus.

"Definately!" I said loudly and rudely, directing it far across the  
table. "Looking forward to it!"

Regulus looked a bit confused but shrugged, said "Cool" and walked away.

When I returned to my breakfast, strange and awkward silence met me.  
Everyone was staring sharp, evil little daggers at me, so I just kept  
to my toast and looked anywhere but at my best friends who seemed so  
far away from me now.

The day progressed slowly but the teachers had mercy on us and gave us  
light homework. Except for Madame L'Cheval who keeps seeing grims in my  
tea leaves. She assigned everyone an assigment that comprised of  
watching and reporting what sorts of terrible things that happen to  
me. And guess what? I still have to do it. I have to write twelve  
inches about all the bad things that happen to me. Talk about  
depressing!

I changed after my last class and headed down to the pitch, shielding  
my eyes from the blazing sun.

"Oh, this will be a fun practice!" I said sarcastically.

"Yep. It will!" greeted Regulus who was already flying in lazy circles  
around the field.

"Well we need to get moving!"

We worked on perfecting a couple plays we'd been working on and by the  
time we were on our fourth play, I was dying of thirst and boiling  
from the sun.

"I need shade," I said, panting after attempting a particularly  
dfficult one.

"Yeah. Let's go to the forest," Regulus said and I agreed. We  
retreated to the cool darkness of the tight-knitt trees. Because of  
the time I'd spent in here with the Marauders, I didn't think twice.  
It didn't occur to me why Regulus would suggest it.

We began to stroll deeper into the woods and the sun was unable to  
completely penetrate the leafy foliage. The light that did manage to  
filter through bathed us in green light. The effect was breath-taking.

Regulus began to lead me to someplace, taking turns at a particular  
tree or bush, looking up at the sun or a carving on a tree.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked, curious about his knowledge of the  
forest.

"A secret place," he said with a teasing smile.

"If it's secret, why are you taking me?" I teased back.

"It's secret because it's special. And you're special so I want to  
share it with you," said Regulus, still forging ahead in the leaf-  
strewn, root infested path.

I was taken aback. No one had ever said anything like that to me  
before. I didn't know what to say. It sounded like something straight  
out of a chick flick.

I suddenly had the strange wish I was less if a tomboy and more of the  
girl who read those awful little things they call 'romance novels'.

"That's... erm... very nice of you..." I said.

He smiled back at me.

"It's awesome. Trust me. You'll love it," he said, his silver eyes  
twinkling in the green light.

"And here it is..." he said as we entered into the most beautiful  
place I'd ever been.

There was a large break in the trees that formed a nice, roomy circle.  
A small river or creek snaked through it like a shiny ribbon and ended  
in a large, calm, pool of perfectly clear water. Tall, perfectly green  
grass popped up everywhere and the sun shone nicely upon the small  
haven.

"My gosh! It's gorgeous!" I exclaimed.

"I know," he said, grinning down at me.

"How did you find it?" I asked walking around the area, checking out  
everything.

"I... just did," he answered quickly.

"It's amazing!"

"And now, for a swim!"

I nearly fainted.

Regulus began to undress, started with his robes and taking off  
everything but his pants.

Muscles...

So.

Many.

Muscles.

"Are you coming?" he asked, flashing me a smile.

I realized how stupid I looked and said, "Huh? Oh! Yeah!"

I took off everything but my blouse and the shorts I wore under my  
skirt. I tentatively set my wand down with my clothes too. Then I ran  
and launched myself into the air and fell with a great splash into the  
clear water. It was incredibly refreshing and Regulus cannon-balled in  
after me, proceeding to splash me straight in the face.

I laughed and sent water rocketing his way.

"Hey!" he shouted and tackled me under water. I shrieked until I  
plunged under water, then I shut my mouth to stop water from entering  
my lungs.

"You are SO loud!" he commented when we resurfaced in eachothers arms.

"My specialty," I said, smiling and inclining my head goofily.

About a half-hour later, we grew tired and climbed heavily out of the  
nice little pond-pool thing. The sun warm, we stretched out on the  
soft, plushy grass to dry. When I was just barely damp, I said,

"This has been really fun, Regulus," I smiled to him next to me.

"Same," he said softly.

"You really are different..." I remarked. "I like that..."

I don't know what made me say it.

I blame hormones all the way.

I was never so bold, so daring in my life.

"And I like you."

There. In plain English. But it was all wrong.  
I said to his brother what I needed to say to  
Sirius. I am one messed up girl.

But it was his reation that surprised me the most.

And without a word, he smiled, leaned closer to me, laced his fingers  
in my dangerously tangled hair, pulled me in towards him and...

kissed me.

And do you know what the sad part is?

I enjoyed it.

Why?

Because I so desperatly wanted it to be Sirius, I believed it was.

I would've felt incredibly guilty, but I was distracted.

Regulus is a _REALLY_ good kisser...

**The Boring Part:**

**Hmmm… I'm sleeeeeeepy. Long week. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeease review. Seriously. I'm not going to update unless… three people review! Come one! Three! You can do it! I feel like a pouty little girl but I need inspiration, peoples! **

**Keep dancing.**

**XO**

**Zoe**


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry Reggie fans. I really am. I love writing Regulus/OC stories. I think I'm going to write one in addition to this. :D Anyway… I'm going to pull Regulus in later (as a good guy). I promise. Hang in there.**

Darkness suddenly engulfed us, even though it was late-afternoon.

Regulus pulled away and smiled…. but it was _different_. It was cold. Like his old smile. It wasn't warm and teasing and "I'm so happy I just kissed you".

It was scary.

The darkness began to get darker, and darker until I couldn't even see my  
hand in front of my face.

I stood up quickly and looked up, down, anywhere. It was all black. I  
began to grope around looking for Regulus but he seemed to have gotten  
up.

"Regulus, what's going on?" I asked, hoping his voice would lead me to  
him.

He laughed, well... evilly from far away.

Sirius's warnings flooded back to me in a flash.

"We're going to kidnap you," said a voice. Another voice, and fear  
clench my stomach—it was Lucius Malfoy, a Death Eater _OUT OF HOGWARTS_.

This was much, _much_ bigger than I thought.

And it scared me.

But I was more angry than scared. He'd led me on, and I'd fallen for  
it. His tricks, his kindness, his showing me his feelings—all fake,  
all some sick acting job. I suddenly wanted to kill him.

Sirius was right.

I was so stupid.

If only I had listened to my best friend! He was simply looking out  
for me... and idiot me wouldn't listen.

I didn't even fight. I knew I'd simply lose. The Death Eaters seemed  
to be able to see in the dark.

They bound and gagged me, though who could I scream to? I'd lost all  
my friends. I was an idiot; a full blown, big-headed, good-for-noth—

My thoughts were interrupted by a sudden, terribly unpleasant feeling  
of being squished through a very small tube.

Apparating.

I let that scumbag Regulus take me all the way off Hogwarts grounds!

I. Am. Such. An. Idiot.

We disappeared with a *crack!* and fear wasn't the only thing clenching  
my stomach. I hate apparating. Every time I do, I want to retch. When  
we reached out destination, I didn't even look around, I aimed towards  
the Death Eater holding onto me, and I threw up all over his shoes.

"Gross! You nasty little—" he called me all sorts if names I don't  
want to put in writing.

I realized suddenly that I couldn't see. I contorted my face to see  
if I had a blind-fold on but, I could feel no such thing. The darkness  
must have followed us—or, I realized, followed ME. They must've  
charmed only me, so that I was completely blind. Smart.

When he was finished cussing at me, he led my roughly over to a chair  
threw me into it, and bound me to it. He began to clean away something from a desk—  
something large and crinkly, like a massive map—and then much  
smaller pieces of parchment.

Many other sounds joined that: sounds of chairs being pulled nearer,  
into a circle, thousands of tiny whispers, a single man's footsteps,  
far off, a door squeaking open and—

Silence.

"Good job, Malfoy, Black and MacNair for getting one Potter completely  
undetected but still... only one. You can do much better..." a voice,  
a terrible, deep, snake-like voice said—very near me.

When this awful ringleader wasn't speaking everyone was silent. Not a  
whisper, not a cough, not a boot toe scuffing across the stone floor,  
not even a fire sent cracks and pops floating through the air. It was  
an awful, weighted silence, and I was suddenly cold and shivering.  
This room, these people, they were all so much bigger than a stupid  
school-girl romance. This wasn't about Sirius or Regulus anymore—this  
was about life or death, and even I was betting I'd end up the latter.

"Now, Miss Potter. Do you know why you're here?" he addressed me from  
behind and this constant, painful fear clenched tighter still at my  
stomach.

"N-n-no..." I managed to stutter.

"Aww... the little child is scared..." he cooed.

"I'm not!" I shouted. I can be scared out of my wits but when someone  
SAYS I'm scared—I can't deal with it.

"You should be! You stupid girl! Do you KNOW who I am?" he shrieked  
and I made a tiny whimper, no one could hear under his screams.

"I can't see you..." I said tentatively.

"You can't see me. WHY can't you see me, stupid girl? I am right in  
front of your face!"

And yes, I felt him right in my face—I felt this spit flying and his  
magnified words.

"They put some sort of... _Blinding Charm_ on my eyes or something..."

"I see..." he turned to the circle of Death Eaters. "Which one of you  
idiots forgot to lift the darkness charm?"

Silence in what I assumed someone raised their hand.

"MacNair..." the leader said, disappointed.

"But, Lord, I was cleaning her throw-up off my shoes!"

"Crucio..." he said it as if he were discussing the weather. Like he  
didn't know he was torturing someone.

I gasped. MacNair's screams filled the chamber and echoed off the  
stone walls. I almost—almost—felt sorry for him. The leader stopped  
the torture and MacNair's heavy breathing filled the silence that  
came. The leader cast another spell—_Obscurum Levo_.

The darkness began to fade and I finally saw the room I was in.  
Everything was gray stone—even the unlit fireplace. Chairs were in a  
circle around me and a table far off. MacNair laid on the ground near  
me. I found Regulus in the circle. He looked me straight in the eyes,  
smirking. I still wanted to kill him.

He looked so hateful. So... evil. I realized with a pang that that was  
the same word Sirius had used. And I'd ignored him. I was such an  
idiot!

The worst part was... he was happy. He was smiling. I saw then that  
look in his gorgeous gray eyes and saw his true smile. He was watching  
me, knowing my fate and happy about it. He'd led me on. Easily.  
Without hardly any effort. I hated him.

The leader now walked lazily towards me and this was most distracting.  
He was pale, and had white hair, though he looked young. His yellow,  
snake eyes were narrowed at me and I shivered.

"Do you _now_ know who I am?" he growled and aimed a kick at McNair  
sprawled on the ground in front of me, breathing hard.

"The-The D-D-Dar-Dark Lord?" I stuttered.

"I am indeed," he stepped behind the chair I was bound to.

"W-Why am I here?" I managed.

"You may answer that yourself, girl. What do you know about the  
Prophecy?" his constant footsteps seemed extremely loud compared to  
the uptight silence of his followers.

"Pr-Prophecy?"

"Don't play dumb, blood-traitor!" his sudden shout scared me and I  
jumped in my seat. "I know you know! It's about you and your brother!"

"What about James?"

"Fine. Regulus, you should enjoy this. Come here," the Dark Lord said,  
motioning for him to come closer. Regulus stood up boldly and strode  
over. Fear exploded in my stomach and I swear that rat's smile widened.

A silent understanding passed between them and The Dark Lord unchained  
me with unspoken magic.

"Stand up and face your friend, filth," the Dark Lord said.

"He is not my friend," I growled.

"Very well. Regulus you know what to do... Now, what do you know about  
the Potter Prophecy?"

"Nothing!" I shrieked desperately.

Before Regulus even raised his wand I knew what was coming.

He smiled...

"Crucio."

A million swords were suddenly thrust into my back and twisted  
violently. I screamed the loudest I possibly could and felt blood at  
the back of my throat. It was almost—almost—as if I screamed loud enough, the pain would go away. There is no pain like it. None. I fell to the ground and saw no more the chamber.

It happened in a flash—the sword's pain ever present but this vision  
much worse. I walked into the entry hall, back at Hogwarts. This didn't seem strange at all to me. It's often like this in dreams. They appear to be so real, and you accept them to be. I turned to corner into the Great Hall and…

Death.

Everyone I know and love.

_Dead._

They were draped over the tables like prized trophies, a fearful,  
tortured, desperate look in their eyes. The ceiling was a pitch black—no stars, no moons… only darkness. I found the Gryffindor table and recognized—I shrieked and rushed over to my friends and family: Mum, Dad, James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, Analise, Kat and Lorin.

All dead.

"NOOOOOOOO!" I screamed hoarsely and began to sob uncontrollably over  
their bodies.

I heard someone laughing.

I turned to see Regulus.

"They're all gone," he said, smiling.

"...no..." I whispered, breathing hard, my eyes full of flowing tears.

"All of them, dead."

"NOOOO!" I shouted and broke into hiccupping sobs, unable to form  
words because of them. I wrapped my arms around my middle and fell on my knees.

"You're all alone, Jane," he kicked at Sirius's body.

"I don't want to live..." I cried, clawing at my hair. "Kill me,  
Regulus! Do one good thing in your life! Please, Regulus, _KILL ME_!"

Regulus paused. His smile vanished.

"_KILL ME, REGULUS_!" I pleaded. "_PLEASE_!"

The scene disappeared and I was back in the marble chamber, sobbing  
like crazy. I still wanted to die.

I was lying on the floor, Regulus above me with his wand pointed at me.

He was frozen, his mouth slack and he looked... sorry... ashamed.  
Something like that.

"Idiot!" the Dark Lord pushed him out of the way, still dazed, and  
shouted. "Crucio!"

The same twisting, unbearable pain. The same Great Hall. The same  
utter hopelessness. No Regulus.

I didn't seem to be able to grasp the fact that this was only a spell.  
It was so real.

Their bodies were cold. Cold as ice.

The scene vanished again and I was on the ground, clawing at my back.  
Breathing like the air had no oxygen.

"Get up."

I struggled to my feet and kept my swollen eyes closed shut.

"That wasn't fun, was it, Jane?" he said. "Now are you ready to tell  
me what you know about the Prophecy?"

The prospect of lying flashed across my mind but I had no idea even  
what this prophecy was about so I decided not to. I saw no other  
option.

"I don't—EEEEEEEP!"

A rat was scampering up my leg.

"AAAAAAAAAHHH! Get it off! Get it ooooooooooffff!"

I know, right. Pretty lame. I'm facing the most evil wizards out there  
and I freak out because of a rat.

I beat at my leg and hit the rodent to the floor. With a start I recognized  
it. Peter.

Shoot.

Before I knew it, a dog and a stag crashed through the two windows on  
the far side of the room. Glass flew everywhere and spells shot across  
the room. I scooped down and picked up Peter before anyone could step  
on him.

Confusion reigned. The Dark Lord was shrieking instructions and his  
followers were flipping out. I was knocked to the floor once again  
because I was already so unsteady. Peter flew out of my hands. I  
spotted the glorious dog behind me. When I looked up, I caught someone's eyes.  
Grey eyes. Regulus. He looked sorry again. He tossed me his wand and I  
caught it. The great dog tackled me and I felt it sink it's teeth into  
my leg. I cried out.

Then I understood.

I tightened my grip on Regulus's wand and called, "PRONGS!"

The Dark Lord was drawing ever nearer and I heard echoes of  
unforgivables.

"_PRONGS_!"

The stag turned his glorious head and charged towards me.

"STOP HIM!" the Dark Lord cried. A dozen more faithful death eaters  
took up the challenge and jumped in front on James. But James disposed  
of them with a flick of the head and they went flying across the chamber.

"NOOO!" the Dark Lord cried as I grabbed at one of James's antlers.

I cleared my head and thought wildly for a moment. I momentarily  
forgot how to apparate. But then I racked through my brains and remembered. I  
concentrated on the common room and only the common room and...

Nothing.

It was like I hit a brick wall. It wouldn't let me go there. I started  
freaking out. The Death Eaters and the Dark Lord were streaming  
towards us, firing curses that missed us by inches.

And then I remembered.

You can't apparate into Hogwarts!

Duh!

I found a place. I thought only of it. Its broken furniture, torn  
drapes, dark lighting and endless scratch marks. I felt again the  
awful feeling of being shoved into a tiny, completely dark tube and...

We were gone.

The only thing that followed us was the Dark Lord's screams of rage.

**The Boring Part:**

**Oh. My. Gosh. I actually got a lot of reviews! :) Ok… maybe not a TON! But still! Thank you so much all of you! This was a really fun and really annoying chapter to write. Fun because writing thrillers makes my heart beat REALLY fast because I get **_**seriously **_**into character when I write to the point where I feel like I'm living it (especially in action scenes). I know… awful grammar. And annoying because when someone's shouting, I have the urge to rrreeepppeeeaaattteee letters. If I write the drawn out shouted word "no" it looks like "noooooo" which seems like it's be pronounced noo (rhymes with moo, poo, sue, clue—you get the point). This bothers me! My gosh! OK… anyway. Thank you so much! Especially my reviewers! Please review! Pleeeeeease!**

**Keep dancing,**

**XO**

**Zoe**


End file.
